Drifting
by Ulquiorra9000
Summary: IchiRuki. After the Thousand-Year Blood War, Rukia fans the flames of her and Ichigo's friendship in the world of the living, even as they drift apart in their separate lives, and time goes on. Some things don't change, however. One-shot.


**Drifting**

by Ulquiorra9000

"So... we'll still see each other around, right? I mean, now that everything's over," Ichigo said, just days after Yhwach's downfall. He stood at the front porch of the Kurosaki Clinic, a hand on the doorknob.

Rukia nodded, hands on her hips. "What do _you_ think? I'm not going anywhere, carrot-top. I'm hard to get rid of, you know."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "That's darn true."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rukia cried. "I'm delightful company and you know it!" She huffed, violet eyes glinting.

Ichigo cracked a grin. "Sure, whatever. Hey, maybe you could come visit for the New Year's festival. That would be cool. Ever been to one?"

"Nuh-uh."

Ichigo's grin widened. "Then you're in for a treat, little lady. See you then." He swung open the door and stepped inside.

Rukia watched Ichigo's back until the door shut, then turned and prepared to open a Senkaimon gate. No big deal, right? Their friendship could easily survive a few months' break.

And Ichigo was right; between the gorgeous decorations (including kadomatsu), great home-cooked noodles, and the ringing of the bell 108 times, Rukia felt her worries being wiped away as she welcomed the new year with the Kurosakis and their neighbors. In fact, a red-faced Ichigo presented a greeting card to Rukia, hand-written. "Look, uh... it's a tradition. I had to do it," Ichigo said, not making eye contact as he handed it over. "Just take it, okay?"

"You silly boy," Rukia said with a grateful smile as she took it. "Is this hand-written?"

"No... yeah."

"I'm keeping this. And showing it to _all_ the girls in the Court Guard Squads," Rukia teased.

"H-hey!" Ichigo spluttered.

"Anyway..." Rukia folded her arms. "When d'you think I'll see you again?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Well... I'm getting into college soon. Feel free to check out the campus when I'm there, and I'll show you how cool college life can be."

"Sure thing."

True to her word, Rukia took time off from her Soul Reaper duties to visit the world of the living, and she marveled at the University of Tokyo, from the Akamon Red Gate to Komaba Library. The place was huge! And there were so many students! Rukia felt like a leaf drifting on a vast ocean.

"Looks like you've having a blast here," Rukia said happily as she and Ichigo toured the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens together as a light breeze picked up. "Studying hard?"

"Yeah. I'm chugging along," Ichigo said casually, hands in his jacket pockets. "Studying business and finance is tough, but I'll get it done. Remember how good a student I was in high school?"

"No."

Ichigo made a face. "Well, I was, darn it!"

Rukia giggled and lightly punched Ichigo's shoulder. "Sure, whatever. But seriously... this was really nice. I'm glad I got to see you again.  
Ichigo grinned. "Same for me. Hey, you'll make it to my graduation, right?"  
"I'll be there. Promise."

So she was. Some years later in the world of the living, Rukia watched, invisible in her Soul Reaper body, as Ichigo graduated and plunged himself into the adult world of business and finance. Rukia marveled at how Ichigo, now in his mid-20s, seemed so... confident, and tough, but in a subdued and humble way. It smouldered quietly in him, and Rukia could see it in his eyes.

He was really growing up.

Rukia was still the same.

Isshin's hair was definitely grayer when Rukia visited again to see Karin and Yuzu graduate college, and this time, she decided to visit in a gigai, and Isshin promptly embraced his unofficial daughter, happy tears in his eyes. "It's been so long!" Isshin cried. "I don't have forever on this earth, you know, Rukia. Do visit more often!"

"I'll... try!" Rukia choked out. "Congrats to Karin and Yuzu. You must be so proud of them."

"I am! Such pride in my girls!" Isshin said, parting from her, his arms held wide. "The whole world is their oyster!"

"And Ichigo?"

Isshin patted his chest. "I couldn't be more proud of that boy. It's a shame he missed the graduation, though, seeing how he's on a business trip."

"Where is he, anyway?" Rukia asked.

"In Singapore," Isshin said. "I hope he'll call soon so we can say hi! That fellow is so busy nowadays... he'd better make time for his old man and best friend!"

Rukia smiled. "I'm sure he will."

And he did, later that night. Ichigo was a businessman to the bone, all pressed suits and power phrases and cunning looks on his face. But when he saw Rukia's face on Skype, the 30-year-old somehow reverted to the same old teenager Rukia had always known. They chatted the whole evening away.

Ichigo flew back to Karakura Town on an overnight flight from New Delhi when he heard of Isshin's passing. It was a cold evening when Ichigo, just past forty years of age, oversaw his late father's wake. Rukia, in her gigai again, attended.

"He was one of the best fathers I knew," Rukia said quietly. "I had to be here to see him off."

"Thanks, Rukia." Ichigo wrapped a grateful arm around her. "It means a lot."

Rukia managed to stay in Karakura Town for a few days after that, too, since it had been years since her last visit. Uryu and Orihime's son was almost in high school now, and their daughter was a real handful! Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu really doted on them, and Rukia, for her part, was just happy to be there. How old would those kids be when she found time to visit again? She was just seeing snapshots of Ichigo's and the others' life here, and the gaps in between were wider all the time as they drifted along...

"Hard to believe I'm a grand-uncle now," Ichigo admitted as he and Rukia sat on the porch of the Kurosaki vacation house on Japan's west coast. He slowly turned his tea mug around in his hands, staring into the steaming liquid. "Yuzu's little boy, he's really something, isn't he?"

Rukia sat there in her gigai, hardly any different from the last time. She nodded and smiled fondly. "The Kurosaki family keeps getting bigger, doesn't it?"

Ichigo laughed. "It does. Makes me wonder how Orihime and Uryu will handle grandparenthood one of these days. Their son's been going pretty steady with this new girlfriend, you see. Orihime thinks this girl might be the one..."

"Oh, yeah?" Rukia leaned forward in her seat to listen.

She didn't go back to the Soul Society until later that evening.

"I knew you'd come back," Ichigo said, looking up from his bed as Rukia stepped into his room. His voice was feeble and thin, his head nearly bald except for a few wisps of white hair, his eyes sunken. "You look grown up, Rukia. You finally caught up to me." He managed a small smile before coughing into his fist.

Rukia felt her gut clench. It had been so long since her last visit, and now, seeing Ichigo in this state in this retirement home... She sat on a chair next to his bed. "You know, big brother Byakuya thinks he found a proper suitor for me. Can you believe it?"

"This suitor must be made of stern stuff, to handle you," Ichigo joked. "How did Byakuya pull _that_ off?"

Rukia chuckled. "Every time I visit, I swear you're really no different after all."

"That's what I should be saying. So, tell me more about this fellow..."

Rukia watched the sun arc through the sky outside the window as she told him everything, and the whole time, she had a thought in the back of her mind. Eventually, Ichigo spoke on it.

"Rukia... this could be our last friendly visit," Ichigo wheezed. "I'm glad you came here."

"Don't talk like that," Rukia said sharply. "I'll see you again. I know it's been forever since the last time, but -"

"It's all right," Ichigo said, waving a thin hand. "I don't regret a thing. I lived like I wanted to, and having you with me during the important times... I can't thank you enough."

Rukia swallowed. "I... I know."

Ichigo smiled. "Going to hunt me down when I join the Soul Society? That would be just like you."

"D-don't joke about that..."

"Rukia." Ichigo clenched a handful of his blanket in a hand. "It's all right. I know what's coming."

"Well, that doesn't make it any easier for me," Rukia admitted. "There's millions of souls there. Hundreds of millions, you know. How am I supposed to find you there? You'd be a... needle in a haystack, like I've heard humans say."

"A _handsome_ needle, you mean," Ichigo teased. He coughed again.

Rukia made a face. "Neither time nor wisdom dampened your attitude, did they?"

She stayed the whole evening, as was her custom. And this time, she made sure her next visit came much sooner. She had all kinds of things to tell him -

His room had a new occupant. There was no longer a Kurosaki in this retirement home, or in any of them in the entire area.

But she did find a familiar Kurosaki name in the local cemetery, and she stood there, reading the carved characters as the sun went down.

 _Needle in a haystack,_ Rukia remembered. She looked up. _Would_ she ever see him again? There was no way. She had her duties as a Captain, and anyway, the Rukongai was enormous -

Rukia opened a Senkaimon gate and stepped inside. Ichigo was drifting in a sea of souls, all alone out there.

Had the search just begun?

She had a needle to find.


End file.
